The eight female students of Government Secondary School, Awon, who were kidnapped by terrorists April 3, 2023 in Awon general area of Kachia LGA, have escaped from the terrorists’ den. Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, confirmed the development in a statement, yesterday. The students, according to preliminary briefings, escaped from a thick forest around the Kaduna- Niger interstate boundaries and walked for days before arriving at a location where they were harboured. Human intelligence sources subsequently alerted the Kaduna State Government for immediate evacuation.   Governor Nasir el-Rufai on receipt of the intelligence directed the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to liaise with the One Division, Nigerian Army for urgent evacuation of the students to Kaduna Metropolis, as it was credibly gathered that the terrorists were combing forests in the area to recapture the them. The students have been safely evacuated to a military facility where they are currently receiving medical attention. Meanwhile, Governor el-Rufai has expressed delight over the development and praised the students for demonstrating sheer courage and resilience in making their escape from captivity. The governor admonished them to view the horrific experience as a turning point and pursue their education with renewed vigour for a purposeful future. The governor also commended the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, Major General OT Akinjobi for the prompt evacuation and the ongoing medicals being conducted on the students.

  Authorities of the Nigeria Police Force have demoted the policeman caught on video assaulting a motorist in Rivers State. The officer, Adejoh Siaka, was demoted from the rank of Inspector to Sergeant. The PUNCH had reported how a gun-wielding policeman, later identified as Siaka, was seen in a viral video hitting a motorist with a stick, after which he followed with two slaps to the victim’s face, while the latter was demanding his offence. Other gun-bearing policemen were present at the scene but none of them made any effort to restrain their colleague from further assaulting the man. Meanwhile, a female voice heard in the back called on the man to leave the spot and join her, saying, “Come let’s go.” Following public outcry, the police had said the case would be investigated and later unveiled the identities of the policemen involved. The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement on Tuesday that Siaka’s demotion followed an orderly room trial by the Force Provost Marshal. Adejobi said Sergeant Ndiwa Kpuebari, who was also present at the scene but took no steps to discourage the inappropriate action, was reprimanded, while a third officer, Inspector Friday Obaka, who was later discovered to have been absent from the scene, “was discharged unconditionally at the conclusion of the proceedings.” “In all, the three policemen will be posted out of Rivers State to other commands and formations to continue their police duties. “The Inspector General of Police has, therefore, tasked officers and men of the Force to be diligent and uphold the lofty tenets of professional policing in the discharge of their duties with respect for the fundamental rights of all citizens in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” Adejobi said.

  The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered that the Commissioner of Police on election duty in Adamawa State, Mohammed Barde, withdraw from the state with immediate effect. The IGP also ordered that the CP in charge of Gombe State, Etim Equa, should immediately proceed to Adamawa state for election security of the keenly contested supplementary governorship poll. The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made the revelation while addressing pressmen on Tuesday in Abuja, adding that the IG was committed to a free and fair electoral process. Earlier, INEC officials had reconvened at the state collation centre in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. The officials reconvened amid a heavy presence of security operatives. INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Adamu Gujungu, who has been mandated to take the place of the erring Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa Ari, was seen at the collation centre. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, is expected at the collation centre.

  A fire in a Beijing hospital has killed 21 people, the state-run Beijing Daily said on Tuesday. Emergency response teams first received word just before 1 pm (0500 GMT) that a fire had broken out at the Beijing Changfeng Hospital in the capital city’s Fengtai District, the Beijing Daily report said. The fire was extinguished about half an hour later and rescue efforts continued for about another two hours, by which time a total of 71 patients had been evacuated and taken to another location. The death toll was put at 21 by 6 pm, the report said. The Beijing Daily said “the cause of the accident is under further investigation”.   Social media users posted videos through the afternoon of people sitting on external air conditioning units, while others clinging to ropes jumped from the building. It was not immediately clear if all the occupants of the hospital had been found and evacuated from the fire, which was in the east building of the private hospital’s inpatient department. The deaths were confirmed after the victims were taken to another unidentified hospital for emergency treatment, the report said. Further details were not available on the number of injuries suffered in the fire or their condition. Beijing Changfeng Hospital is in the capital’s western urban area, about 25 minutes by car from central Tiananmen Square. AFP

Wednesday 19 April 2023 My family conspired against me, voted Peter Obi — Umahi Court stops PDP from suspending Wike, Fubara, others Presidential poll: I’m not afraid of lies, propaganda —Peter Obi China denies funding terrorists to access Nigerian mineral reserves Kidnapped Kaduna female students escape from terrorists’ den Police demote Rivers officer, reprimand colleague over assault N’Assembly leadership: APC working committee awaits Tinubu, Adamu’s meeting IG removes Adamawa CP over supplementary poll Adamawa gov: Fintiri floors Binani, INEC takes REC’s case to Buhari Atiku Congratulates Fintiri, Says There Is ‘One More Mandate To Reclaim’ ‘I Gave Them Anointing Oil’: Melaye Speaks On Mobilising Kogi PDP Delegates Interpol Seizes $5.7b Worth Of Cocaine In Latin America Raids 107 Stranded Nigerians Evacuated From Libya Alleged Defection: Court Refuses APC’s Request To Sack Gov. Tambuwal Fire Guts UNIBEN Female Hostel Police Dislodge Terrorists’ Camp, Recover Arms In Imo ‘It’s the proper thing to do’ — PANDEF asks APC to zone senate presidency to south-south Binani: I did not give N2bn to be declared winner of Adamawa guber — I’m a democrat Adamawa guber: Court declines Binani’s request to stop INEC from voiding declaration as winner Gombe APC expels Danjuma Goje for ‘hobnobbing’ with opposition parties Woman Sues Hubby For Failing To Take Her To Saudi Arabia Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Imo State state police command has said that an eyewitness revealed that he saw stray bullets from the officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps kill an eight -month -old baby and her mother at Fire service junction in Owerri, the state capital on Monday. The spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, said that an eyewitness disclosed that stray bullets from NSCDC personnel who were in a moving vehicle hit the mother and child who were waiting for a vehicle at the ever- busy fire service junction in Owerri. Okoye said that the victim were rushed to a hospital in Owerri where the baby was pronounced dead. The police spokesman said ” investigation is on going but an eyewitness account said that stray bullets from NSCDC personnel hit the woman and her baby. They were rushed to a hospital where the baby was confirmed dead. This eyewitness account has not foreclosed investigation. Investigation is ongoing to certain what actually happened.” Recalls that a nursing mother and her 8-month-old baby were killed on Monday at Fire service junction in Owerri by stray bullets by men in a moving vehicle. An account also revealed that another woman suspected to be the mother to the nursing woman was also shot. According to an eyewitness, the diseased were waiting for a vehicle at Fire Service junction when they were hit by bullets. An eyewitness said “This is the most surprising death I have ever witnessed. I was also waiting for a taxi with the nursing mother where I was admiring her baby. “She was with her mother who helped her to carry her baby who should be about eight months. But when I left there to buy something, I heard gunshots across. Unfortunately, it was the same people I was standing with that are lying lifeless, killed by men in a moving vehicle. This is unbelievable.”